Rep. Jerry Sonnenberg (R-Sterling), one opponent to the legislation, says the proposed changes interfere with longstanding water rights.

“We are upsetting the apple cart," Sonnenberg says. "We are creating a new water right that actually takes away from somebody else’s water right.”

House debate continued into late Friday afternoon with Republicans arguing the proposed legislation would upend 160 years of state water law. Instead of passing the measure, they offered numerous amendments aimed at killing or diluting the bill.